Remains identified as that of missing teen

Savannah Leckie, 16, was reported as missing by her biological mother Rebecca Ruud July 20. Ruud told officers that Savannah was in her bed at 11 p.m. July 19, but when Ruud awoke at 8 a.m. the next day, the girl was gone. Ruud has now been charged with Leckie's murder.(Photo: Photo Courtesy of Ozark County Times)

Ozark County Sheriff Darrin Reed announced that burned human remains located on an 81-acre farm in northern Ozark County, Mo., are those of a missing 16-year-old girl.

Via social media, Reed said, "From information I received today from forensic specialists, and evidence that was obtained, the remains that were recovered are those of 16-year-old Savannah Leckie of Longrun."

Circumstances of the case

Leckie began living with her biological mother 11 months ago after having lived with an adoptive family in Minnesota since her birth.

On July 20, her biological mother Rebecca Ruud reported Leckie as missing. She told the Ozark County, Mo., Sheriff's Office that Leckie was last seen the night of July 19 at approximately 11:00 p.m.

According to court documents, Leckie was living in a trailer on the farm, while Ruud and her now husband, Robert Peat Jr., lived in a metal building on the property. The couple were married Aug. 4, the same day authorities first found bones believed to be human on the Ruud farm.

Darrin Reed organized a large search party that included personnel from his agency, volunteer firefighters, the Baxter County Sheriff's Office helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft flown by an Ozark County deputy.

As the search continued over the course of several days, Reed said in a news release that Ruud became increasingly agitated that law enforcement wanted to keep searching her farm.

Meanwhile, searchers found no evidence of Leckie in the surrounding area and multiple leads never turned up a credible sighting of Leckie despite a persistent social media campaign.

At some point during the investigation, authorities noted the presence of lye on the farm. Ruud was known to make lye soap. Lye also can be used to break down human flesh, authorities noted in an affidavit.

On Aug. 4, Reed's department obtained a search warrant for Ruud's property. Authorities went to Ruud's farm, called her and met her at the gate of the farm where they asked permission to search the farm.

When Ruud declined their request, they informed her of the search warrant and searched the property without her permission.

During the Aug. 4 search, two different cadaver dogs indicated on a burn pile authorities said was partially covered with fresh debris.

As they sifted through the ash of the burn pile over the course of several hours, authorities recovered several items they said had the appearance of bone fragments.

Reed turned the bone fragments over to experts for study and possible identification.

On Aug. 9, Reed and law enforcement officials returned to Ruud's farm and executed a second search warrant, enlisting the help of specially trained forensic personnel.

During that search, which lasted five minutes less than 12 hours, authorities recovered large quantity of potential evidence.

Multiple bone fragments were recovered as well as more teeth. Also found and seized were a zipper pull, hair, fiber, 26 bottles of lye, a meat grinder, a knife, more hair, a box of girls clothing and a pair of jeans.

As the investigation continued, authorities interviewed a former boyfriend of Ruud's. That man told authorities he saw Ruud discipline Leckie by forcing her to crawl through a hog pen and then forced her to bathe in a pond on the farm.

When asked about those allegations, Ruud reportedly admitted they were true. Ruud allegedly told authorities that Leckie cut her own arm in a suicide gesture. To punish the teenager for that, Ruud told authorities she scrubbed the cut on a "daily basis" with alcohol and salt.

While some media outlets have named Ruud and Peat as suspects in the case, Ozark County Sheriff Darrin Reed has not named any suspects in the case as late as Friday morning when he issued a press release.

In that press release, Reed said "in days to come," he hopes scientists can positively identify the remains found on the Ruud farm.